Michigan defensive back Channing Stribling (8) had the ball taken away from him by Indiana wide receiver Kofi Hughes (13) before scoring a touchdown during the third quarter on Oct. 19, in Ann Arbor.

Written by

Zach Buchanan
Arizona Republic

During the week leading up to Michigan's season finale against Ohio State, Wolverines freshman defensive back Channing Stribling had trouble focusing on football.

His mother, Sonjay, was serving with the Army in Afghanistan. She and her son spoke weekly, either by video chat or e-mail. But as the Ohio State game approached, Stribling hadn't heard from her.

"It was like a whole week I didn't talk to her," Stribling said after Wednesday's practice. "I'm panicking, trying to figure out what's going on. I'm watching movies, Army movies, and people are getting killed, and I'm thinking, 'That ...